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Aquilegia Vulgaris

Aquilegia vulgaris belongs to the buttercup flower family, the Ranunculaceae. This columbine flower is commonly known as European Columbine Flower, European Columbine, Common Columbine, Granny’s Bonnet or Granny’s Nightcap.

This herbaceous perennial columbine flower is native to Europe. It can grow up to about 1.2 metres in height. Yet, several hybrids grow much smaller!

Aquilegia vulgaris is a very popular garden flower and a lot of hybrids have been cultured. It is an excellent butterfly garden plant because it attracts many butterflies, moths, bumblebees and hummingbirds (in North America)! The flowers bloom between late April to early June.

Aquilegia vulgaris is easy to grow and to care for. The plants prefer to grow in full sun or partial shade. Keep the soil well drained.

Columbine - Clementine Salmon Rose
from: Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.

Columbine - Clementine Dark Purple
from: Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.

List of Selected Aquilegia Vulgaris Flower Hybrids:

A. vulgaris 'Adelaide Addison'
A. vulgaris 'Altrosa'
A. vulgaris 'Anemoniflora'
A. vulgaris 'Biedermeier'
A. vulgaris 'Cap de Rossiter'
A. vulgaris 'Clementine Purple'
A. vulgaris 'Crystal Star'
A. vulgaris 'Foggy Bottom Blues'
A. vulgaris 'Granny's Gold'
A. vulgaris 'Heidi'
A. vulgaris 'Magda'
A. vulgaris 'Mellow Yellow'
A. vulgaris 'Michael Stromminger'
A. vulgaris 'Miss Coventry'
A. vulgaris 'Mrs Fincham'
A. vulgaris 'Nivea'
A. vulgaris 'Patricia Zavros'
A. vulgaris 'Pink Storm'
A. vulgaris 'Primivera'
A. vulgaris 'Slaty Grey'
A. vulgaris 'Snowdust'
A. vulgaris 'Talla's Red'
A. vulgaris 'The Bride'
A. vulgaris 'Warwick'
A. vulgaris 'Westfaeld'
A. vulgaris 'William Guiness Doubles'
A. vulgaris 'William Guiness'
A. vulgaris 'Wishy Washy'
A. vulgaris Baicalensis Group
A. vulgaris f. inversa

Aquilegia vulgaris Pom Pom Serie

The pom pom looking flower heads are double filled.

A. vulgaris 'Pom Pom Crimson' (Pom Pom Serie)
A. vulgaris 'Pom Pom Rose' (Pom Pom Serie)
A. vulgaris 'Pom Pom Violet' (Pom Pom Serie)
A. vulgaris 'Pom Pom White' (Pom Pom Serie)

A. vulgaris var. Alba

This columbine has nodding, single white flowers. The plants grow up to 90 centimetres.

Aquilegia vulgaris var. Flore-Pleno vulgaris var. Flore-Pleno

These cultivars have small flower heads in various colours. The foliage has a light green colour. The plants grow up to 60 centimetres (23 inches) in height.

A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Blue Bonnet'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Burgundy'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Dorothy in White'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Dorothy Rose' (Dorothy Serie)
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Double Pleat'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Frilly Dilly Blue'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Frilly Dilly Rose'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Frilly Dilly Sky Blue'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Frilly Dilly White'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Jane Hollow'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Pink Bonnet'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Powder Blue'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Strawberry Ice Cream'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Tower Light Blue' (Tower Serie)
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'Tower White'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno 'White Bonnet'
A. vulgaris var. flore-pleno Dorothy Serie

A. vulgaris var. Stellata

These flowers do not look like typical columbine flowers but rather like clematis flowers!

A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Belhaven Blue'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Crimson Shower'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Firewheel'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Gisela Powell'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Greenapples'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Iceberg'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Melton Rapids'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Royal Purple'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Ruby Port'
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Ruby Port' crimped
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Sunlight White'
A. vulgaris var. stellata double
A. vulgaris var. stellata double blue
A. vulgaris var. stellata pink and purple

A. vulgaris var. stellata Barlow Serie

A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Bicolor Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Black Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Blue Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Christa Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Green Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Nora Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'Rose Barlow' (Barlow Serie)
A. vulgaris var. stellata 'White Barlow' (Barlow Serie)

A. vulgaris Vervaeneana Group

This group is appreciated for its characteristic variegated foliage. The leaves are marbled with various shades of yellow and green. The flowers have two colours in various combinations. The plants grow only about 38 centimetres (15 inches) tall.

A. vulgaris (Vervaeneana Group) 'Graeme Iddon'
A. vulgaris (Vervaeneana Group) 'Double White'
A. vulgaris (Vervaeneana Group) 'Woodside Blue'
A. vulgaris (Vervaeneana Group) 'Woodside Pink'
A. vulgaris (Vervaeneana Group) 'Woodside Red'
A. vulgaris (Vervaeneana Group) 'Woodside White'

A. vulgaris Winky Serie

The Winky Series is from Kieft Seeds Holland. It is an award-winning columbine flowers series! These are gorgeous double filled flowers in various colour combinations. The flowers face upward and the plants grow no taller than 45 centimetres (18 inches). They can be grown in containers and window boxes. This lovely columbine flower series is becoming more and more popular amongst gardeners!

Aquilegia 'Winky Double Blue-White'
Aquilegia 'Winky Double Purple-White'
Aquilegia 'Winky Double Red-White'
Aquilegia 'Winky Double Rose-Rose'
Aquilegia 'Winky Double White-White'

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